2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This paper describes updates to an undergraduate and graduate-level soft robotics design course intended to help students become aware of how research and design work occurs within bioengineering fields, specifically aimed at exposing the hidden curriculum of research to build student confidence. This soft robotics design course, an elective within a bioengineering department, concentrates on academic research and industry applications of robotics in healthcare and health technology. Class discussion and assignments engaged students in soft robotic techniques and material concepts while literature review including podcasts and seminars sought to humanize researchers conducting this work. Hands-on workshops developed student confidence in soft robotic technique ability and comfort with ideating new solutions. With background and ability, students spoke to end users about soft robotics use in the healthcare industry, especially regarding medical training and clinical use. Students’ feedback for professors in potential podcast questions as well as final projects showed their centering less on technical details but applications as driving their engagement with course material. While content is grounded within soft robotics research, expansion to other fields is possible and can help reduce the hidden curriculum by reducing the height of the pedestal academic research is often held up in front of students.